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Police: Couple drove drunk with toddler

The couple were pulled over three times in a night before being jailed on DUI and abuse.

Published: Friday, October 2, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, October 2, 2009 at 5:12 p.m.

Just before 3 a.m. Thursday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a pickup that was travelling erratically on Southwest 65th Avenue Road. Inside that vehicle, he would later report, were an intoxicated driver, an intoxicated passenger - and a 7-month-old boy who wasn't strapped into his car seat.

The driver is the boy's father. He was arrested on charges of child abuse and driving under the influence.

The passenger is the boy's mother. She was arrested on a charge of child abuse and neglect.

The baby, who wasn't injured through it all, is now with his great-grandmother.

"I'm not too pleased, of course," said Linda L. Nelting, whose birthday is today. She went to the scene of the traffic stop to pick up the child.

Will she post bail for the parents?

"No," Nelting said. "A lesson needs to be learned here."

The child's parents - Jeremy Bryant, 25, and Erica L. Steadt, 20, remained in the Marion County Jail late Thursday. Both declined interview requests from the Star-Banner.

Deputy Joseph Tussey was in a gas station parking lot at Southwest 60th Avenue and State Road 200 shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday when he saw a white 2002 Ford pickup heading south on 60th. The driver turned right on a red light onto SR 200 at a high rate of speed.

According to Tussey's report, here's what happened next:

Tussey said the driver again made a turn on a red light, this time onto Southwest 65th Avenue Road. Tussey pulled him over in the 8600 block - very close to the home where they are staying.

The driver, later identified as Bryant, opened his door and the deputy noted a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle.

The deputy said Bryant had watery, bloodshot eyes. A breath test later showed his blood-alcohol content was 0.08 and a 0.076. The state's legal limit is 0.08.

The baby was in a car seat but was not buckled in.

Bryant told the deputy he drank five beers and smoked crack cocaine hours before the stop.

The deputy found a traffic citation that had been issued to Steadt hours earlier, when she had been driving. It was from Ocala police for having an open container of alcohol.

According to OPD, the bicycle unit was conducting a traffic stop around midnight when officers saw the truck, with neither person wearing a seat belt. They pulled the couple over and that's when officers noted an open beer in the console.

Steadt also was ticketed for not having a driver's license.

Bryant told deputies after their second traffic stop of the day that his passenger, Steadt, was acting irrationally and was upset when he refused to allow her to purchase more crack cocaine.

Officials say Steadt was "fidgety" and "obviously intoxicated," according to the report.

Bryant told officials he had been drinking and doing crack for the last several days. He said Steadt was doing the same.

The Department of Children and Families was notified. The great-grandmother, Nelting, said DCF agents have already visited her home to check on the child.

Jail records show Bryant was booked in February and released the same month for possession of drug paraphernalia. Two months later, he was picked up for violation of probation for possession of drug paraphernalia.

<p>Just before 3 a.m. Thursday, a sheriff's deputy stopped a pickup that was travelling erratically on Southwest 65th Avenue Road. Inside that vehicle, he would later report, were an intoxicated driver, an intoxicated passenger - and a 7-month-old boy who wasn't strapped into his car seat.</p><p>The driver is the boy's father. He was arrested on charges of child abuse and driving under the influence.</p><p>The passenger is the boy's mother. She was arrested on a charge of child abuse and neglect.</p><p>The baby, who wasn't injured through it all, is now with his great-grandmother.</p><p>"I'm not too pleased, of course," said Linda L. Nelting, whose birthday is today. She went to the scene of the traffic stop to pick up the child.</p><p>Will she post bail for the parents?</p><p>"No," Nelting said. "A lesson needs to be learned here."</p><p>The child's parents - Jeremy Bryant, 25, and Erica L. Steadt, 20, remained in the Marion County Jail late Thursday. Both declined interview requests from the Star-Banner.</p><p>Deputy Joseph Tussey was in a gas station parking lot at Southwest 60th Avenue and State Road 200 shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday when he saw a white 2002 Ford pickup heading south on 60th. The driver turned right on a red light onto SR 200 at a high rate of speed.</p><p>According to Tussey's report, here's what happened next:</p><p>Tussey said the driver again made a turn on a red light, this time onto Southwest 65th Avenue Road. Tussey pulled him over in the 8600 block - very close to the home where they are staying.</p><p>The driver, later identified as Bryant, opened his door and the deputy noted a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle.</p><p>The deputy said Bryant had watery, bloodshot eyes. A breath test later showed his blood-alcohol content was 0.08 and a 0.076. The state's legal limit is 0.08.</p><p>The baby was in a car seat but was not buckled in.</p><p>Bryant told the deputy he drank five beers and smoked crack cocaine hours before the stop.</p><p>The deputy found a traffic citation that had been issued to Steadt hours earlier, when she had been driving. It was from Ocala police for having an open container of alcohol.</p><p>According to OPD, the bicycle unit was conducting a traffic stop around midnight when officers saw the truck, with neither person wearing a seat belt. They pulled the couple over and that's when officers noted an open beer in the console.</p><p>Steadt also was ticketed for not having a driver's license.</p><p>Bryant told deputies after their second traffic stop of the day that his passenger, Steadt, was acting irrationally and was upset when he refused to allow her to purchase more crack cocaine.</p><p>Officials say Steadt was "fidgety" and "obviously intoxicated," according to the report.</p><p>Bryant told officials he had been drinking and doing crack for the last several days. He said Steadt was doing the same.</p><p>The Department of Children and Families was notified. The great-grandmother, Nelting, said DCF agents have already visited her home to check on the child.</p><p>Jail records show Bryant was booked in February and released the same month for possession of drug paraphernalia. Two months later, he was picked up for violation of probation for possession of drug paraphernalia.</p><p>He was released in August.</p>